Expansible carbid-cartridge for acetylene-gas generators.



"0.677,936. Patented my 9,190'.. L. s. BuFFmGToN.

EXPANSI'BLE CARBID CARTRIDGE FDR ACETYLENE (ASlENERATRS.

(Applicatn led Sepf. 10, 1897.)

(No Model.)

me. dams PETERS au. PHoTo-LwMamAsmNamn, D. c.

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LEROY S. BUFFINGTON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUFFINGTON LTGHT CO., OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N o. 677,936, dated July 9, 1901. Application filed September 10, 1897.5vv Serial No. 651,159. (No modelt) To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEROY S. BUFFINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, inthe county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expansible Carbid- Oartridges; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

` My invention relates to charge holders adapted to be preloaded with carbid and then to be handled as cartridges for use in acetylene-gas lamps or other generators. Several of the features of construction disclosed in this application have been disclosed and broadly claimed in certain of my prior patents and certain of my earlier-iled pending applications. I was the first to employ absorbent material for taking up the feed-water and distributing the same in a finely-divided condition to the carbid, and this feature was iirst disclosed and is broadly claimed in my Patent No. 621,217, of date March 14, 1899.`I was also the first to so employ an absorbent material in direct and extended contact with the carbid, and this improvement is disclosed and broadly claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 642,591, filed June 28, 1897. I was also the first to disclose any form of yielding device for holding the ca rbid and residue in a compact body while permitting the same to' expand under the reaction caused in the generating action, and this feature was iirst disclosed and is broadly claimed in mysaid pending application, Serial No. 642,591, 4filed June 28, 1897. I was also the first to disclose any form of expansible charge-holders adapted to be preloaded with carbid and then to 'be handled as cartridges for use in acetylenegas lamps or other generators, and this feature was also first disclosed and is broadly claimed in my said pending application, Serial No. 642,591, filed June 28, 1897. I was also the iirst to disclose expansible chargeholders adapted for such use as cartridges, with the same constructed in the form of two telescoping cups, and this feature is disclosed and claimed in my pending application, Se-

rial No. 651,158,1ed as a companion case with the present application September 10, 1897.

The objectof my present invention is to provide certain features of improvement, which will be hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a View, principally in vertical section, but with some parts in full, showing an acetylene-gas generator in the form of a bicycle-lamp with one of my improved carbid cartridges or packages contained in the generating-chamber thereof. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of my improved cartridge shown as in condition for shipment or storage. Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation, showing the parts of the cartridge or shell separated or drawn apart. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cartridge or shell with the sealing cap or section removed and some parts broken away. Fig. 5 is a horizon tal section taken on the line x5 x5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the absorbent filling orliningremoved from the cartridge or shell, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the Vertical partition-plates removed from the parts shown in Fig. 6 and partially drawn apart.

The bicycle-lamp `shown in the accompanying drawings is shown simply torillustrate how the cartridge or expansible shell will serve its function as a carbid-holder in the generating action, and hence the parts of said lamp may be briefly noted.

a indicates a bulb-like water-containing vessel which is provided in its bottom with a valve-seat casting ct and with a depending screwthreaded flange a2. The generating chamber or vessel b is removably secured to the flange a2 by screw-threaded engagement therewith, as shown at b'. A burner b3 opens from the vessel b.

v b4 indicates a cylindrical cup which is placed within the generating-chamber b and is provided with perforations b5 to permit of the free passage of the gas.Y v A needle-valve c opens and closes a water-escape passage in the casting a to control the feed of the water e from said bulb a into the generating-cham- IOO ber l). The valve c is provided with a head c outside of the bulb Ct, which Works against an elastic Washer c2, which frictionall'y holds the valve Wherever set. A small air-passage c3 in the valve c permits atmospheric pressure within the Water-bulb a.

As already indicated, the body of the cartridge or shell is made up of a pair of' cuplike or cylindrical telescopically-connected sections l and 2. As shown, the inner section 2 is provided with a large central perforation 3 and with a multiplicity of smaller perforations 4E in its head or upper end. In this preferred construction thecartridge-section 2 is provided with acylindrical lining 5 and with a disk-like lining 6, which covers the inner surface of its head or upper` end. The parts 5 and 6 are formed of` some suitable absorbent material, preferably of blotting-paper. lVithin the cylindrical lining 5 is a pair of verticalpartitions or cross-plates 7, which are provided with slots S, cnt half their length, so as to permit said plates to straddle each other and stand at right angles, as best shown in Fig. 5. These partitions or cross-plates 7 are also constructed of absorbent material, preferably of blotting-paper. The 'upper open end of the outer cartridgesection .l is closed by means of a sealing cap or cover 9, which also covers and closes the perforations 3 and A in the head of the `sec- Lion 2. This sealing cap or cover 9 is preferably constructed of cardboard or heavy paper, which is saturated and coated with paraffinto make the same impervious to moisture.

e2 indicates carbid contained within the cartridge or shell.

The cartridge above described is adapted to be placed in the generating-chamber of the bicycle-lamp, as illustrated in theacconipanying drawings in Fig. l, by reference to Which it Will be noted that the central perforation 3 stands immediatclynnderthe needle-point of the valve c, so that when said valve is open the water from the water-bulb a will drop through said perforation 3 onto the disk 6 of absorbent or blotting material. The sealing-capi) must of course either be removed from the cartridge or perforated above the perforation or passage 3 before the said cartridge is placed Within the generator. The Water which is dropped onto the absorbont disk G will be conducted by capillary attraction first to and then through the cylindrical lining and cross-plates 7. In this manner the water will be conducted around and through the body of carbid within the cartridge, so that the distance which the Water must soak through the lime products in order to reach the most remote particles of carbid Will be very short. By this manner of conducting the Water to the carbid by an absorbent material all impulses in the generating action are prevented.

Under the generating action above described the increasing bulk of the lime products will cause the sections l and 2 ofthe cartridge or shell to move telescopically with respect to each other or, in other Words, to expand the cartridge or shell to give the required increased holding capacity to the cartridge. It Will thus be seen th at the cartridge or shell serves not only as a Waterproof package for the delivery or shipment of the carbid, but when placed in the generator serves also as an expansible carbid-holder.

The shells of the cartridge are preferably made from thin sheet-iron or other cheap metal, but can of course be made of anysuitable material adapted to the purpose. It should be some material extremely cheap.

lHence when the carbid has been used up or generated the cartridge or shell, with the lime residue which itcontains, may be removed from the generatorland thrown away.

It will be understood that various alterations in the specific details ofconstrnction above described may be made Withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

It is of course obvious that in respect tothe feature as to the disposition of thefabsorbent material Within the cartridge as hereinldisclosed it is immaterialwhether or not the shell be made up of telescoping cups or not. Some provision would probably have to be made to permit the increase of bulk when the cartridge should be applied for use Within. the lampy or other generator; but said special disposition of the absorbent material Within the charge-holder as herein disclosed'is of itself new, regardless of the form of the shell of the charge-holder itself. It should be especially noted `that the absorbentimaterial is in direct and extendedcontact With-the carbid and across the line of the Water-feed thereto when the cartridge is placed in Working position. The cartridge herein disclosed is-adapted to be hermetically sealed and afford an air and Water proof package for storage or shipment, thereby avoiding the Waste of the carbid or the deterioration thereof until the cartridge is put into use.

l/Vhat l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-as follows:

l. A carbid-cartridge comprising a body of broken or pulverized l carbid, a` core consisting of a plate or plates of absorbent material Within the mass of the carbid and dividing it into smaller bodies, and an absorbent plate in position to receive the Water and transmit it to the core plate or plates, when the cartridge is placed in a generating-chamber, the Whole being put up Within an inclosing case or shell and rendered impervious to moisture until brought into use.

2. A charge-holder, for use in an acetylene lamp or other generator, composed of an expansible shell and a body of broken or pulverized carbid, and a series of plates of absorbent material Within the mass of the carbid, and subdividing the saine into smaller bodies, with said absorbent material disposed across the Water-feed inlet, which charge- IOO IIO

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bodies, with the absorbent material in direct contact with the carbid and across the Waterinlet thereto, Which charge-holder is adapted to be hermeticallysealed and to afford an air and water proof cartridge, for use substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LEROY S. BUFFINGTON. Vitnesses:

LILLIAN C. ELMORE, F. D. MERCHANT. 

